View source for Bodyswap (Red Dwarf)

{{Infobox television episode
| series         = [[Red Dwarf]]
| image          = red dwarf bodyswap rimmer feast.jpg
| caption        = Using Lister's body Rimmer has a feast for the first time in 3 million years
| series_no      = 3
| episode        = 4
| director       = [[Ed Bye|Ed Bye]]
| writer         = [[Rob Grant|Rob Grant]] & [[Doug Naylor|Doug Naylor]]
| airdate        = {{Start date|1989|12|05|df=yes}}
| guests         = [[Lia Williams]] as Carol Brown (Voice)
| prev           = [[Polymorph (Red Dwarf)|Polymorph]]
| next           = [[Timeslides]]
| episode_list = List of Red Dwarf episodes
}}

"'''Bodyswap'''" is the fourth episode of [[science fiction|science fiction]] [[sitcom|sitcom]] ''[[Red Dwarf]]'' Series III,<ref name="British Sitcom Guide – Red Dwarf – Series 3">{{cite web | url =http://www.sitcom.co.uk/red_dwarf/series3.shtml | title =British Sitcom Guide – Red Dwarf – Series 3 | publisher =sitcom.co.uk |access-date =2008-01-25}}</ref> and the sixteenth overall.<ref name="TV.com – Body Swap summary">{{cite web | url =http://www.tv.com/red-dwarf/bodyswap/episode/10960/summary.html | title =TV.com – Body Swap summary | publisher =tv.com |access-date =2008-01-25}}</ref> It premiered on the British television channel [[BBC2|BBC2]] on 5 December 1989. Written by [[Rob Grant|Rob Grant]] and [[Doug Naylor|Doug Naylor]], and directed by [[Ed Bye|Ed Bye]]. This was the first episode to be recorded without a [[live studio audience|live studio audience]]. The plot has Rimmer suggesting that the perfect way to help Lister get "healthy" is swapping bodies. The episode was re-mastered, along with the rest of the first three series, in 1998.

==Plot==
A malfunctioning [[Red Dwarf characters#The Skutters|skutter]] runs amok and rewires ''Red Dwarf''{{'}}s circuitry. Despite [[Arnold Rimmer]] being concerned about what any machine might be connected to, [[Dave Lister]] ignores his warnings not to touch any machinery and makes an order at a snack machine, inadvertently triggering the ship's [[self-destruct|self-destruct]] mechanism. As the self-destruct can only be over-ridden by a senior officer, all of whom are dead, [[Kryten]] performs a mind-swap on Lister, temporarily placing the mind of a female officer of suitable rank who can over-ride the self-destruct. Although this fails, the group find that the scutter only connected the vending machine to the self-destruct countdown and not the ship's self-destruct bomb, when it vends Lister's order. They are soon left annoyed when [[Holly (Red Dwarf)|Holly]] admits to having removed the bomb years ago and failed to notify anyone of this.<ref name="Prog Guide p63">{{Harv|Howarth & Lyons|1993|p=63}}</ref>

Following the experience, the mind-swap experiment soon gives Rimmer an idea on how to be able to enjoy life again. He promptly convinces Lister to [[body swap|swap bodies]] with him for two weeks, offering to get his body back into shape. Lister soon regrets the decision when Rimmer abuses his body by overindulging himself in the pleasures he had been denied for so long, thus failing to uphold his end of the bargain.<ref name="Prog Guide p63"/> Although Lister recovers his body, Rimmer coerces Kryten to [[chloroform|chloroform]] him so he can reacquire it. Angered by what he did, Lister, along with [[Cat (Red Dwarf)|Cat]] and Kryten, pursue after Rimmer when he absconds in a ''Starbug'' with a full freight of junk food.<ref name="Prog Guide p63"/> The chase causes Rimmer to crash, whereupon he is forced to return Lister his body. Some time later, Lister notices Rimmer acting strangely when he enters their quarters, and discovers that he has swapped bodies with Cat with Kryten's help again, unable to assure the pair how long he will use Cat's body for.<ref name="Prog Guide p64">{{Harv|Howarth & Lyons|1993|p=64}}</ref>

==Production==
This was the first episode to be recorded without the [[live studio audience|live studio audience]]. Technical difficulties of the actors playing other characters meant that the scenes would have to have been done twice. Instead the voices were dubbed over the scenes in [[post-production|post-production]] and trying to match up with lip movements caused much mirth while recording. Chris Barrie, being an [[Impressionist (entertainment)|impressionist]], had no problems playing Lister, whereas Craig's portrayal as Rimmer was not as smooth. The final edit, with dubbed voices, was then played to a small audience to provide the [[laughter track|laughter track]].<ref name="Red Dwarf Series III Production">{{cite web | url =http://www.reddwarf.co.uk/guide/index.cfm?seriesID=3&sectionID=behind-the-scenes&subsectionID=production | title =Red Dwarf Series III Production | publisher =reddwarf.co.uk |access-date =2015-12-07}}</ref>

The long chase sequence with Blue Midget and Starbug was overseen by effects supervisor Peter Wragg. Using his experience of working on shows such as ''[[Thunderbirds (TV series)|Thunderbirds]]'', he had the model ships of Starbug and Blue Midget flying on hidden wires over a scaled landscape, Starbug eventually crashing into it.<ref name="Red Dwarf Series III Effects">{{cite web | url =http://www.reddwarf.co.uk/guide/index.cfm?seriesID=3&sectionID=behind-the-scenes&subsectionID=effects | title =Red Dwarf Series III Effects | publisher =reddwarf.co.uk |access-date =2015-12-07}}</ref>

This episode has the only mention of the ship White Midget. This was a mistake on the part of the writers. In the Remastered version, Lister's voice is dubbed over so he says "The Midget" instead of "White Midget". Originally the new smaller ship that would be used was White Midget, a similar version of the Blue Midget, but then Starbug was created, which would be bigger and allow for more room to film inside.<ref name="Intervie Peter Wragg">Intervie Peter Wragg, Red Dwarf Smegazine, issue 8, October 1992, Fleetway Editions Ltd, {{ISSN|0965-5603}}</ref>

The large interior areas of Red Dwarf were filmed inside [[Padiham Power Station|Padiham Power Station]].

==Cultural references==
[[Alfred Hitchcock|Alfred Hitchcock]] is referenced by Rimmer when describing Lister's silhouette. While using the toilet with Lister's body, Rimmer hums [[The Grand Old Duke of York|The Grand Old Duke of York]] tune to himself. It is from this experience that Rimmer references ''[[Star Trek|Star Trek]]'''s [[Spock|Spock]] when describing Lister's urine.<ref name="Body Swap movie connections">{{cite web | url =https://www.imdb.com/rg/title-tease/movieconnections/title/tt0684148/movieconnections | title =Red Dwarf movie connections | publisher =IMDb |access-date =2008-01-16}}</ref> Rimmer also recites [[Clint Eastwood|Clint Eastwood]]'s line from ''[[Sudden Impact|Sudden Impact]]''.<ref name="Body Swap movie connections"/>

==Reception==
The episode was originally broadcast on the British television channel BBC2 on 5 December 1989 in the 9pm evening time slot.<ref name="BBC Programme Catalogue – RED DWARF III THE SAGA CONTINUUMS – 4, BODYSWAP">{{cite web | url =http://catalogue.bbc.co.uk/catalogue/infax/programme/NMRJ903T | title =BBC – Programme Catalogue – RED DWARF III THE SAGA CONTINUUMS – 4, BODYSWAP | publisher =BBC | access-date =2007-12-11 }}{{dead link|date=July 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

==Remastering==
{{See also|Red Dwarf Remastered}}

The remastering of Series I to III was carried out during the late 1990s.<ref name="Remasters of the Universe">{{cite web|url=http://www.reddwarf.co.uk/deck01/dvd_remasters_of_the_universe_221206.html |title=Remasters of the Universe |publisher=reddwarf.co.uk |access-date=2008-01-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080104012351/http://www.reddwarf.co.uk/deck01/dvd_remasters_of_the_universe_221206.html |archive-date=4 January 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref> General changes throughout the series included replacement of the opening credits,<ref name="Red Dwarf Series I Remastering">{{cite web|url=http://www.reddwarf.co.uk/deck05/series_1/remastering.html |title=Red Dwarf Series I Remastering |publisher=reddwarf.co.uk |access-date=2008-01-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080118140243/http://www.reddwarf.co.uk/deck05/series_1/remastering.html |archive-date=18 January 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref> giving the picture a colour grade and [[filmising|filmising]],<ref name="The End Re-Mastered Commentary">{{cite video | people =Remastering Crew | title =The End Re-Mastered DVD Commentary | medium =DVD | publisher =BBC | location =Bodysnatcher DVD Boxset Red disc | date =2007 }}</ref> [[Computer-generated imagery|computer generated]] [[special effects|special effects]] of ''Red Dwarf''<ref name="Re-Dwarf">{{cite video | people =Remastering Crew | title ='Re-Dwarf' Documentary | medium =DVD | publisher =BBC | location =Bodysnatcher DVD Boxset Red disc | date =2007 }}</ref> and many more visual and audio enhancements.<ref name="Re-Dwarf"/>

Changes made specific to "Bodyswap" include the ''Starbug'' and ''Blue Midget'' chase scenes have been replaced with a CGI sequence. The scene with Rimmer, as Cat, playing around with food has been added to the ending.<ref name="Bodyswap text commentary">{{cite video | people =Remastering Crew | title =Bodyswap text commentary | medium =DVD | publisher =BBC | location =Bodysnatcher DVD Boxset, Green disc | date =2007 }}</ref>

==Notes==
{{Reflist}}

==See also==
* [[Body swap|Body swap]], for numerous other fictional examples of the concept

==References==
*{{cite book |last1=Howarth |first1=Chris |last2=Lyons |first2=Steve |title=Red Dwarf Programme Guide |year=1993 |publisher=Virgin Books |isbn=0-86369-682-1 |ref={{harvid|Howarth & Lyons|1993}} |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/reddwarfprogramm0000howa }}

==External links==
*{{BBC episode|p00bp2z8|Bodyswap}}
*{{IMDb episode|0684148}}
*[http://www.reddwarf.co.uk/guide/index.cfm?seriesID=3 Series III episode guide at www.reddwarf.co.uk]

{{Red Dwarf episodes|state=collapsed}}

[[Category:Red Dwarf III episodes]]
[[Category:1989 British television episodes]]
[[Category:Fiction about body swapping]]